A dramatic change in services for youth and students with disabilities, including the implementation of Pre-employment Transition Services for students with disabilities to be delivered in coordination with Transition services outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), are required by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

With these changes there is an increased opportunity and increased need to look at how we can best prepare and support students with significant disabilities in pursuing and obtaining competitive integrated employment as a postsecondary goal.  Now is the time to explore promising practices and strategies around career counseling, family engagement and natural supports, engaging employers, and collaborating across multiple entities to leverage and coordinate resources in order to create a successful, seamless, and holistic transition.

WIOA requires that Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) be provided to youth who are eligible or potentially eligible for vocational rehabilitation services. Required Pre-ETS services include:

• Job Exploration Counseling
• Work-Based Learning Experiences
• Counseling on Opportunities for Enrollment in Comprehensive Transition Planning or Postsecondary Education
• Workplace Readiness Training
• Instruction on Self-Advocacy

State Education Agencies and State Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies have been tasked with revisiting the State-Level Interagency Agreement that accounts for how both entities provide the services associated with their respective laws, IDEA and WIOA.

In addition to changes surrounding Transition services, the passage of WIOA also saw changes under Section 511 for the purpose of limiting the use of subminimum wage.

Section 511 requires that individuals with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, must be afforded a full opportunity to prepare for, obtain, maintain, advance in, or reenter competitive integrated employment.

The purpose of Section 511 is to ensure that individuals with disabilities have access to information and services that will enable them to achieve competitive integrated employment. It includes requirements for State VR agencies, subminimum wage employers and local and State educational agencies, including specific requirements for youth prior to their participation in subminimum wage employment.

Prohibits State educational agencies (SEAs) and local educational agencies (LEAs) from entering into contracts or agreements with community rehabilitation providers to transition youth into segregated programs. Schools currently contracting with agencies holding subminimum wage certificates will no longer be able to continue. Schools and VR can use community rehabilitation providers to provide services in community integrated settings.

The implications for youth as it relates to Section 511 go beyond that of the items relevant to schools noted in the previous slide and include that before a youth with a disability can begin work at subminimum wage, the youth must demonstrate, through documentation, completion of the following:

• Obtain transition services under IDEA or Pre-employment transition services under VR;
• Apply for VR services and been found ineligible or closed from VR after unsuccessfully pursuing employment for a reasonable period of time**
• Receive career counseling and information and referral services;
• Receive information about self-advocacy, self-determination and peer mentoring training opportunities available in their geographic area.
• If youth are determined eligible or ineligible for VR services, career counseling and information and referral services must be provided prior to obtaining subminimum wage employment

** “reasonable period of time” to achieve employment must take into consideration Vocational and disability related needs of the youth Anticipated length of time to complete IPE services, For supported employment goals, up to 24 months or longer

Source: Career Counseling for Students with Disabilities: Strategies for Success. From the Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) Presentation | Handout |